Daily FNArena News - Australia

Ahead of the key Christmas trading period, Super Retail has warned sales are sluggish, underscoring the importance of getting the right balance in sales and margin.

Cost inflation has stymied growth in the first weeks of FY19 for Brambles but the company remains confident cost pressures will ease as the year progresses.

CIMIC has reiterated earnings guidance for 2018, although brokers suspect this could be beaten if the strength to September continues to the end of the year.

FNArena’s Monitor keeps track of corporate earnings result releases, including broker views, ratings and target price changes and beat/miss assessments.

Western Areas’ Odysseus nickel project is now much larger and the economics have improved substantially.

FY19 guidance from Flight Centre was shy of expectations but brokers suggest the decline in the share price has put the valuation on a more even keel.

Vehicle component manufacturer/distributor, ARB Corp, has presented a cautious outlook at its AGM, noting a slower rate of growth in the first quarter of FY19.

Brokers are increasingly confident in Regis Resources as it expands its gold resource base, amid firm cash generation and dividends.

September quarter lithium production from Galaxy Resources disappointed brokers. However, several potentially positive catalysts lie ahead for 2019.

With the move to underground mining at Prominent Hill largely complete, brokers are looking more closely at the range of growth options presented in the OZ Minerals portfolio.